by Diane Sagers

CORRESPONDENT

Halloween is here tomorrow, although from all appearances -- especially in the stores -- it has been for several weeks. Halloween is now the second largest retail holiday of the year, behind Christmas. The pocketbook speaks volumes about what the public likes.

Kids have had Halloween on their minds for weeks. "What are you going to be for Halloween?" is the going question. Answers vary from funny to beautiful to downright scary. Stores have done a brisk business in supplying costumes for kids and grown-ups alike.

For some kids the answer to "What are you going to be for Halloween?" has changed from day to day, but hopefully by now they have settled on the attire they deem most appropriate, whether it be a fairy princess, a really scary something-or-other, or their favorite movie character.

Some kids have known for months what they would wear for their Halloween debut and others rely on last-minute inspiration and whatever they can concoct from stuff around the house or purchase at thrift stores.

Masks of favorite characters are relatively easy to find, but makeup allows for creativity and goes a long way toward creating the proper mystique. Everyday makeup can be used for some special effects, but most of us don't have bright colors on hand for really unusual once-a-year use.

Commercial products on the market make faces beautiful, frightening, glittering, odd and even gruesome. The application insures a unique finished product but it doesn't need to be hard. With a little green makeup, a big shirt and some pillows, you'll be looking like Shrek in no time.

There is an alternative to commercial Halloween makeup, which can be expensive and is not available everywhere. Homemade concoctions can save time and money and allows a great deal of creativity among ghouls, goblins and other costume hunters.

Some of the best special effects can come from everyday products you can find in any house. Of course, dark eyebrow pencils draw wrinkles and scar lines, adds character to eyes, and emphasizes eyebrows and eyes. Add lipstick -- ghostly pale, black, bright red or orange -- white under-eye makeup and homemade grease paint to start the possibilities.

Homemade grease paint is easy to make and can be tinted various colors. White shortening is the base. Add cornstarch, flour, glycerin and drops of food coloring as desired. Cocoa replaces food coloring to make brown shades.

If you don't like the thought of putting shortening on your face, try the basic recipe for homemade makeup below.

Some Halloween enthusiasts like to go a step further to reshape the face or add gruesome scars. Gelatin will make an indented scar or raised area that looks very realistic.

Measure one teaspoon plain unflavored gelatin into a small glass and add one teaspoon of very hot water. Stir very quickly with a small spatula or teaspoon handle until you have a sticky stringy mass. Spread it on the skin as fast as possible making it either thin or lumpy. Keep pushing it around to get irregularities. It will gel in seconds and as it dries, it will contract like a scar. Don't laugh too much because it may pop loose.

The following suggestions might get your imagination going for great Halloween makeup tricks. Try making a skeleton by putting a sheet with holes for the facial features over the head. Cover the face with white under-eye makeup and use an eye pencil to stretch a toothy smile. Mix shortening with cocoa to make paint for eyes, nose and mouth.

Gypsies' dark brows and eyelashes are enhanced with an eyebrow pencil and mascara. Shortening makes a variety of makeup bases. Add red food coloring for bright blush, and mark the lips with bright lipstick.

Witches are an ever-popular part of Halloween. Use shortening and cocoa as a base for makeup. Peanut butter and coconut makes disgustingly realistic warts, and white under-eye makeup can be used to paint teeth on your face to enlarge a mouth.

Homemade Makeup Base

1 tsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp water

1/2 tsp cold cream

Food coloring to suit purpose (green for witches, light green for water sprite, yellow for fairy princesses, or match the wings of a butterfly).

Stir together starch and cold cream until blended well. Add water and stir, then add food coloring. Wash your face and any area that you will be applying the makeup to. Dry thoroughly. Spread onto large areas with fingertips. Use a small paint brush to paint designs on face. Remove this makeup with soap and water. Store in airtight container.

Homemade Halloween "Blood"

1 tablespoon water

65 drops of red food coloring (1 teaspoon plus 5 drops)

10 drops yellow food coloring

5 drops blue food coloring

5 1/2 tablespoons white corn syrup

Mix all of the food colorings together in the water. Slowly stir in the corn syrup until the mixture is just the right thickness. Put it on your skin wherever you want the "blood" to be.